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If your rental property or apartment is in Somerville, your Massachusetts eviction (summary process) case may be heard at the Somerville District Court. Here's the court's address and phone number, how summary process works, and your fastest path to a clean, court-ready case.
Massachusetts evictions are decided through summary process under Chapter 239 of the General Laws. The Somerville District Court hears these landlord–tenant cases for Somerville and nearby Middlesex County communities. Whether you're a tenant who's been served or a landlord preparing to file, the same rules — and the same short deadlines — apply.
Every case starts with a Notice to Quit (14 days for nonpayment of rent; generally 30 days or one rental period for a no-fault termination). After the notice expires, the landlord serves a Summary Process Summons and Complaint and enters the case on a Monday entry date. The tenant then has until the answer date to file defenses and counterclaims, and the first hearing — often beginning with mediation — follows shortly after. For the full sequence, read the landlord summary-process timeline and the tenant guide to answering a Notice to Quit.
Tenants in Somerville frequently have more leverage than they expect — habitability, security-deposit (c. 186 §15B), and retaliation counterclaims can offset, or exceed, the rent at issue. Landlords win by filing clean: correct notice, correct entry date, and records that answer the predictable defenses.
Many Somerville-area cases can be filed in the Eastern Housing Court instead of (or in addition to) the District Court. The Housing Court specializes in landlord–tenant matters and has Housing Specialists who mediate. See the Eastern Housing Court page for its sitting locations and the towns it covers, or browse the full Massachusetts court directory.
The Somerville District Court is located at 175 Fellsway, Somerville, MA 02145. The clerk's office can be reached at (617) 666-8000.
Yes. The Somerville District Court hears Massachusetts summary-process (eviction) cases for the Somerville area. Tenants and landlords in Middlesex County can often also file in the Eastern Housing Court, which specializes in housing cases.
Massachusetts summary process moves quickly — frequently only a few weeks from the entry (filing) date to the first hearing. The exact timeline in Somerville depends on proper service, the tenant's answer date, whether discovery is requested (which adds about two weeks), and the court's calendar.
Related: Eastern Housing Court · All courts · Guides · Pricing
Court address and phone compiled from official Massachusetts Trial Court (mass.gov) listings; details can change, so verify with the court. This page is general information, not legal advice.